261 coronavirus cases reported in Khairpur

KHAIRPUR: A sharp increase in the coronavirus cases has been witnessed in Pir Jo Goth, an area of district Khairpur in Sindh, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to the District Health Officer, 261 people have been tested positive for the novel coronavirus including eight members of DSP headquarters family.

The patients have been kept in isolation at their homes, he added.

In the wake of the federal government’s decision to end the countrywide lockdown in phases starting Saturday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced on Friday that the province will ease the lockdown from Monday.

Speaking at a media briefing, the chief minister had said there will be a “100% lockdown” on Saturdays and Sundays. He said industries related to the constructions sector will operate as per the SOPs.

598 new cases reported

598 new cases were reported in the province over the past 24 hours with five more deaths, the chief minister said.

The total number of cases in the province has soared to 9,691 while the number of people who died from the infection has risen to 176, he said, adding 5,532 tests were carried out over the previous 24 hours in the province.